Spanish Election Hinges on Housing Crisis After Eviction Case

The recent eviction and subsequent death of 87-year-old Mary Carmen Abascal from her Madrid apartment, where she had lived for 70 years under a unique contract, has ignited a national housing crisis debate in Spain. Abascal, who paid a low rent of 500 euros due to her father's contract, was evicted after years of legal battles with a real estate company that had purchased the building for investment. Her plight, televised as she was removed from her home, sparked widespread public outcry and protests across Spain, with many setting up encampments in city centers.

In response to the escalating crisis, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez attempted to pass emergency decrees aimed at protecting tenants. These decrees included suspending evictions in certain cases, extending rental contracts, and imposing restrictions on real estate acquisitions. However, the Spanish parliament initially failed to ratify these measures. This setback led Sánchez to call for early elections on November 29, making the housing issue the central theme of the campaign.

The controversy intensified as the opposition warned against political exploitation of Abascal's case, while the far-right Vox party hinted at Sánchez's involvement in her death for propaganda purposes. Regardless of the direct link between her eviction and death, studies highlight the severe psychological toll of living under the threat of losing one's home. Research in Granada indicated that over 95% of individuals facing eviction reported fear, helplessness, or terror, with a significant portion meeting diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder.

In Israel, a similar case in 2012 involving Moshe Silman, who set himself on fire after being left without housing and later died, resulted in a temporary freeze on public housing evictions and the implementation of an "red light" procedure. However, the freeze was short-lived, and a law allowing eligible tenants to purchase their public housing units at a discount led to a decrease in the overall public housing stock. Unlike Spain, housing has not historically been a central issue in Israeli elections, with class-based issues struggling to gain traction in public discourse.

Despite the parliamentary rejection, Sánchez's government has re-approved the housing decrees in a slightly modified form. These decrees are expected to pass a vote in a smaller parliamentary body, the Diputación Permanente, due to the parliament's dissolution. The central decree allows for the postponement of evictions for vulnerable individuals lacking alternative housing and the extension of certain rental contracts for up to two years. The measures differentiate between types of property owners, offering protections to small landlords while targeting large investors who acquired properties at significantly below-market prices.